Spring seated center clip for plate lock-ups



H. C. JORDHOY SPRING SEATED CENTER CLIP FOR PLATE LOCK-UPS Jan. 12,1932.

Original Filed June 28. 1927 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT. OFFICE HANS C. JORDI-ICY, OF NORTH PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR TO WOOD NEWS PAPER MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF VIRGINIA SPRING SEA'IED OEN TER CLIP FOR PLATE LOCK-UPSApplication mea June 2s, 1927, serial e* sition at all times and anintermediate locking arrangement is provided in two parts qui so that,irrespective of the length of the plates, the outer margins at the endsof the cylinders will always be the same.

The principal object of the present inven tion is to provide a flexiblemeans connecting the two parts of the intermediate clip for holding themapart so that variations in the width of the plate are taken up by theflexible means and also to provide automatic means whereby any crumblingaway of the edge of a plate under pressure of the clamps will not loosenthe plate on the cylinder, but the yielding means will take up the slackand the plate will still be clamped to the cylinder.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is aradial section taken centrally through a clamp constructed in accordancewith this invention, as shown on a printing plate cylinder;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the manual plate locking mechanism looking in thedirection of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the intermediate plate clamps looking in thedirection of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a plan showing a modification in which the intermediate clipismade in ring shape.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the usual center ring located instationary position is shown on the plate cylinder 11 with an end platelocking clamp 12 at the end of the cylinder. Only half of the cylinderis indicated in Fig. 1.

For the intermediate clipsI use a set of clamps 18 between two plates Pextending along the cylinder. These clips, as shown in Fig'. 3, exerttheir pressure in opposite directions against the slanting edges of theprinting plates. Each one is provided with No. 201,979. Renewed June 17,41931.

a barrel 14 below, these two barrels being in axial alignment and withtheir open ends facing each other. They enclose a spring 15 andtherefore press the two clips apart in opposite directions, one againstone plate and the other against the other one. These two barrels areconnected by a central rod 16 secured into the bottom of one barrel at17 and passing through a passage in the opposite end of the other andhaving a head 18 outside the same. This head limits. the amount ofmotion of the two barrels, that is, it limits the distance apart of thetwov clips. In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the center clip,consisting of the two parts 13, is shown compressed by the action of alock-up device. When that is withdrawn, however, both of the centerclips will spread out by the action of the springa distance equal to thedistance between thehead of one barrel 14 and the head 18 of the rod orbolt 16. It will be seen that if the edges of the plate should crumbleand thus allow the clips 13 or one of them to move inwardly, the spring15 has sullicient resiliency to hold the clips against both plates andto hold both plates after such crumbling occurs. v

' I have shown the invention as cooperating with a lock-up device forthe outer clip 12 as stated above. This is shown in the form of a link20 connected with the clip 12 and with an arm 21 on a stud 22 which isoperated by a handle 23, preferably removable. The two positions, asshown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1, show that it would be obviousthat this lock-up is not adjustable but is movable to its final positionand that the plates are held at the end by the resilience of the springs15.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the invent-ion as,

applied to a center clip made in the form of two rings 24 havingprojections 25 constitutingvthe clips. In this case the rod 16 andcorresponding parts are used just as in the other figures. The clips 13or projections 25 are shown staggered in both forms because the centermargins are usually so narrow as not to permit the center clip beingdivided in half and still retain suicient thickness for the necessarystrength. However,

this is not essential in cases where there is enough width to providetwo of these clips registering with each other. F rom this it will beseen that the construction is simple and that no connection has toV bemade between the plate loclr-up and the center clips and that theadvantages above mentioned are secured. y

AlthoughV I have illustrated and described only two formsof theinvention I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the art without departing from thescope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do notwish to be limited in these respects, but what I do claim .is:-

l.. In an intermediate plate holding means Y for a printing presscylinder, the combination with a pair of clips in staggered relationshiphaving inclined surfaces for engaging the edges of two adjacent platesand located between the plates, and yielding means for forcing the sameapart toward their respective plates, whereby irregularities in t-heplates will not prevent their being firmly clamped in position. A

2. In a means for clamping two adjacent printing plates, the combinationof a set of clips arranged substantially in circumferential alignmentbut every alternate one slightly out of alignment, each engaging theedge of one of said plates, each clip having a cylindrical body locatedbelow it, and a spring extending into the two cylindrical bodies fornormally holding two adjacent clips apart.

3. In a means for clamping two adjacent printing plates on a presscylinder, the combination of a set of alternately oppositely facingclips for engaging the edges of said plates, alternately each cliphaving a cylindrical body located within the surface of the printingplate cylinder, and a springerrtend-v ing into the two cylindricalbodies for normally holding two clips ap'artand firmly against theirrespective plates. n

4. In a plate clamping device, the combination witha set of clipsarranged in staggered relation to each other, those on each side beingarranged to lit the edge of a plate on that side, and each clip having acylin drical barrel below it with a recess therein opening inwardly, astrong spring in said recess for normally forcing said barrels apart,and a r'od secured in the bottom of one barrel extending through bothbarrels and hav-

